Green Zone League Articles

OK, one more article today. No offense to anyone here Ė as a guy coming off 4 straight non-winning seasons, itís clear I donít know what Iím talking about. Hope you enjoy!

Second Round

Best Picks

The second round is always a place to find some really good value pickups. There are tons of guys each year it seems who are projected to go in the first round who manage to slide into the second frame. This year wasnít any different and many teams got some gems throughout the second round. Itís hard to identify just a couple of the better picks, but there are some that stand out. I thought the Ramsí selection of DT Fritz Archeleta was pretty good value that late in the draft. Archeleta was one of the biggest DTs in the draft, had good attributes across the board, was one of the best tacklers and the most aware at the position. I liked pretty much all of the CBs that went in the 2nd round. William Nguyen doesnít do anything outstanding but is solid across the board. Oliver Smith is similar in this regard and some talked him up as a potential 1st rounder. Jacob Reed is below average in terms of attributes, but is 6í3Ē and you know in a couple of years the Bucs will be trading him for two 1st rounders. Though only average in size, Oscar Riveria is fast and smart Ė two of the biggest things you want in a Corner. I think my favorite pick of the 2nd round, however, was Center Reese Dismukes. Fast, smart, and the most polished blocker in the whole draft. Not bad for the 2nd round.

Worst Picks

Itís hard to single out a couple picks here because most everyone did a great job of finding solid players who could start and make an impact right away. First of all, Iím not a big fan of the pick of QB Derek Carr. After missing out on Winston and Foles, perhaps the Cowboys panicked. Word is heíll be developed and can be a good pro, but there was a lot of talent still on the board. For all the great picks on the O-Line in the 1st, the 2nd round was much worse. There were 3 picks in this round that I didnít like Ė Elon Sproles, Deon Moser, and Manuel Arias. Of these, Moser was my least favorite. Heís a bit undersized at 298 lbs and has only average attributes across the board.

Third Round

Best Pick

By the third round, things are getting thinner in terms of talent. However, most everyone made most of their opportunities. Very few picks appeared to be squandered. I liked the pick of DE Bruno Smith, who in my mind wasnít that far behind 1st rounder Collin Kilpatrick. Offensive Linemen Morris Lewis is solid and could be a starter with a good skew. OLB Godfrey George was a nice late round pickup that could probably start today. Also, I think the selection of HB DeShawn James will be well worth the pick. Heís undersized but could easily be a lethal KR specialist. Iím going to go with DT Braylon Gross as the best pick of the 3rd round at least in terms of value. Getting him at 3.29 was a nice gem so late in the round.

Worst Pick

I hate to even pick out a worst pick in this round because the talent is so thin and everyone had such solid selections. Wasnít a big fan of OL Dan Meyer at the end of the 3rd, but a that point itís a bit of a guessing game. Just had many prospects higher on my board. If I had to name one, Iíd go with CB Jack Ward by the Ravens. I had Ward 18th on my board and he went 10th overall. He does have the best acceleration in the class and a great vertical, but a 5í11Ē CB with 89 SPD is a bit of a reach, though with a good skew he becomes a gem.